Establishment and significance of hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension model in rat by exposing to simulated 6000 maltitude

Objective:To establish hypobaric hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension(PH)animal model by exposing rats to simulated 6000 maltitude.Methods:A total of 120 SD rats were placed into a large artificial climate chamber(simulating circumstance at the altitude of 6000 m,operating 24 hours per day)after randomly divided into hypoxic groups for 4,7,10,14,21 days and control groups of each corresponding time points.Mean pulmonary artery pressures(mPAP) were detected directly after thoracotomy.Cardiac and pulmonary tissue samples were analyzed by pathological image analysis software after HE staining.Results:The mPAP,right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI)and pulmonary arteriole wall medial wall thickness diameter ratio(MT%)were significantly higher in hypoxic groups for10,14,21 days than those in the corresponding control groups.Conclusion:The mPAP of SD rats starts to increase after exposed to hypobaric hypoxia at the simulated 6000 m altitude for 10 days,and the PH models of rats can be established in 14 days.